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CURRICULUM VITAE

BARBARA_ROMAIN_ABOOKOF_2_edited.jpg
EDUCATION
 

  • MFA, Painting, Otis College of Art & Design, Los Angeles, 1991
    BFA, Painting, Philadelphia College of Art, now University of the Arts, Philadelphia
    PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 4-Year Art Scholarship

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AWARDS, GRANTS & HONORS
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  • OUTSTANDING ARTIST JUDI JASEK AWARD, Passionate Focus, The Art Club, Chicago, IL, 2012

  • TEACHING ARTIST FELLOWSHIP, VSA Arts, affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., 2007

  • OUTSTANDING TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD, Columbia College Hollywood, CA, 2007

  • TWO-PERSON EXHIBIT AWARD, National Juried competition, Satsuma Gallery, 2007

  • ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, 2005-06 & 2006-07

  • FIRST PRIZE, Walter Knott Annual Art Award, Goodwill Industries, 2003

  • FINALIST, Metro Transit Authority Poster Contest, 2003

  • ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, California Arts Council, 1998-99, 1999-2000 & 2000-01

  • COMMISSION, Echo Park Targeted Neighborhood Initiative, two public art projects, 2001

  • FIRST PRIZE, Artists Beyond Disability, National Juried Exhibit, 1998

  • JERRY DEAN MEDALLION AWARD, California Continuation Education's highest honor, 1993

  • CITY OF LOS ANGELES CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT GRANT, for "Whose Myth Are Youse With?", Watts Towers Art Center Gallery, 1993

  • GILDING THE BUILDING COMPETITION, for "Las Angelinas" mural, former Woman's Building, Los Angeles, 1990

  • ARTS AND ACCESSIBILITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, National Arts and Disability Center, NADC / UCLA, 2015

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TEACHING/ EDUCATIONAL
 

  • PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA COLLEGE HOLLYWOOD, School of Film & Television, Tarzana, CA, Department of Visual Art & Design, 1992-2024

  • CO-FOUNDER / DIRECTOR, ART OPTIONS, an arts-based, interdisciplinary, general-education program for high-risk, inner-city teenagers in Los Angeles, CA, 1992 to 2007

  • INSTRUCTOR, Art Institute of California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, CA, 2003

  • INSTRUCTOR, AHCOP Program, Charles R. Drew University, Los Angeles, CA, 1999-2005

  • ASSOCIATE EDITOR, Heat Press, Open Mouth Poetry series, 1994

  • ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre As A Learning Tool program, 1986-1989

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SOLO EXHIBITS/INSTALLATIONS
 

  • WRITING ON THE WALL, Satsuma Gallery, North Hollywood, 2007

  • BAD EYE ON THE GOOD FOOT, Art Around Gallery, Philadelphia, 2005

  • ECHO LOVE, permanent installation at bus shelter in Echo Park, 2002

  • TRAVEL TO THE INTERIOR, installation / exhibit at Zyrex, Inc., Alhambra, CA, 2001

  • WHOSE MYTH ARE YOUSE WITH?, installation & performance at Watts Towers Art Center Gallery, 1993

  • LOS ANGELES THEATRE CENTER, Grand Lobby, 1991

  • LAS ANGELINAS, mural at former Woman's Building, downtown Los Angeles, 1990

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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

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  • ONLINE: PENUMBRA, Gallery 825, Los Angeles Art Association, West Hollywood, CA, Jan 08, 2022 - Feb 24, 2022

  • OUT THERE, Gallery 825, Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles, CA, 2019.

  • REMEMBER: An AIDS Memorial Retrospective, OCCCA, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA, Dec 01, 2018 - Dec 29, 2018.

  • SPEAKING VOLUMES/TRANSFORMING HATE, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY NYC, Feb 24 to Apr 8, 2016. 

  • ART ABILITY, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Malvern, PA, Nov 2015 to Jan 2016.  

  • SHARING VISIONS 2016, Marshall Ketchum University, Anaheim, CA, Spring 2016 to Spring 2017.

  • BLIND ARTIST SOCIETY,  Albany Center for the Arts, Albany, NY, 2016.

  • SHARED VISIONS, Marshall Ketchum University, Fullerton, CA, 2015. 

  • BLIND ARTIST SOCIETY, The Strand Center for the Arts, Plattsburgh, NY & Albany Center for the Arts, 2015.

  • SPEAKING VOLUMES/TRANSFORMING HATE, originally Holter Museum, Helena, MT (travelling exhibit), in Tulsa, OK as of 2016, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NYC.

  • BACK TO THE ROOTS, Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, June 2015.

  • PASSIONATE FOCUS, The Chicago Cultural Center, May 2015.

  • SHARED VISIONS, Marshall Ketchum University, Fullerton, CA, 2015.

  • BLIND ARTISTS SOCIETY, The Strand Center for the Arts, Plattsburgh,  NY. May, 2015.

  • SPEAKING VOLUMES/TRANSFORMING HATE, Holter Museum, Helena, MT. (travelling exhibit, in Tulsa, OK as of 2015)

  • COLORS! UPSTREAM PEOPLE GALLERY online, www.upstreampeoplegallery.com 

  • MEMPHIS GEORGE, Fine Arts & Crafts, Los Angeles, CA.

  • SHARED VISIONS, Southern California College of Optometry, Fullerton, CA.

  • SPEAKING VOLUMES/TRANSFORMING HATE, Holter Museum, Helena, MT (traveling exhibition) 

  • SACRED MEMORIES, Pico House Gallery, El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Site, Oct to Nov 2015. 

  • CONTEXT: RETHINKING LANGUAGE IN ART, San Diego Art Institute, CA, 2015.

  • 8th ANNUAL DEPT OF DISABILITY ART EXHIBIT,  Bridge Gallery, Los Angeles City Hall, CA, Sept to Oct 2015.  

  • ART BLIND, Berufsverband, Bildende Kunstler, Cologne, Germany, 2013.   

  • CONTEMPORARY L.A. ARTISTS, Michael Kate Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA, 2013.

  • DO YOU DREAM IN COLOR? Concert/exhibition, UCLA, CA, 2013.

  • CORE 9: DEFINING OURSELVES, Gallery Expo, Long Beach Arts Center, CA, 2013.    

  • ART ABILITY, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital, Malvern, PA, 2011 & 2013.

  • SPEAKING VOLUMES/TRANSFORMING HATE Gotthelf t Gallery, La Jolla, CA, 2013.  

  • COLORS, COLORS! Upstream People Gallery, Online. 2013.

  • FAITH, MYTH & LEGEND, Long Beach Arts Center,  Long Beach, CA, 2012.

  • PASSIONATE FOCUS 2012, The Art Club of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2012.

  • COLORS, COLORS! Bridge Gallery at City Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 2012.

  • BRAILLE PRINTMAKERS, Café Cultural, Los Angeles, 2012.

  • ART ABILITY, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Center, Malvern, PA, 2011

  • CORE 7, The Santa Monica Art Studios, Santa Monica, CA, 2011

  • BAS FALL SHOW, Cooperstown Art Center, Cooperstown, NY, 2011

  • INTERNATIONAL ACQUISITIONS, Viewpoint Gallery, Schenectady, NY, 2011.

  • PASSIONATE FOCUS 2011, Zhu B Art Center, Chicago, IL, 2011.

  • ALL ABOUT ART, Einstein Medical Center, Elkins Park, PA, 2011.

  • BLIND ARTISTS SOCIETY, Old Forge Art Center, Old Forge, NY, 2011.

  • SCAPES/URBAN & RURAL:  Long Beach Arts Center Gallery, Long Beach, CA 2010`` 

  • BLIND ARTISTS SOCIETY, Art Center for the Capital Region, Troy, NY, 2010,  

  • ALL ABOUT ART, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Elkins Park, PA, 2008 & 2010.

  • DERIVATIVE COMPOSITIONS, Terrace Gallery, John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, 2008.

  • CORE 5, Second City Gallery, Long Beach, CA, 2009.

  • SPACE & NEBULA, Echo Curio Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2009.  

  • ART SLAM, De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA, 2009 & 2010.

  • INNER LIGHT, Forest Lawn Museum, Glendale, CA, 2009.

  • PASSIONATE FOCUS, ChangeWest Gallery, Chicago, 2009.

  • EMERGING ARTIST’S EXHIBIT, Downtown Art Center Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2008.

  • INSIGHTS, San Francisco Art Commission Gallery at City Hall, San Francisco, CA, 2004 to 2008.

  • OUT THERE, Gallery 825, Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles, CA, 2008.

  • ART BEYOND SIGHT,  Wayne Art Center Gallery, Wayne, PA, 2007.

  • NATIONAL ACQUISITIONS EXHIBIT, Viewpoint Gallery, Schenectady, NY, 2007.     

  • HOLOTN LEE OPEN COMPETITION, Faith House Gallery, Dorset, England, 2007

  • TEXTURE, Art & Literature Laboratory (ALL) Gallery, New Haven, CT, 2006.

  • THE WOMEN’S SHOW, Cactus Gallery,  Los Angeles, CA, 2006.

  • NEW BEGINNINGS, Satsuma Gallery, North Hollywood, CA, 2006.

  • DEFINING OURSELVES, George Deneff Gallery, Long Beach, CA, 2005 & 2006.

  • ART BEYOND SIGHT, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, 2004.

  • VSA INT’L FESTIVAL, Union Station & Washburn Gallery, Washington, DC, 2004.

  • 40 x 40, Coronet Theater, Hollywood, CA, 2004

  • ARTISTS BEYOND DISABILITY, Cal State University, Long Beach, CA, 1998 & 2002.  

  • ECHO PARK ARTISTS FESTIVAL, Exhibit & Artist's Studio Tour, 1999 to 2002.

  • PORTRAITS:  DEFINING OURSELVES, City of Pico Rivera Center for the Arts, Pico Rivera, CA, 2001.

  • NEW VISIONS GALLERY, Louisville, KY, 2001.

  • MOVING TOWARDS THE MILLENNIUM, City Biennial, Watts Towers, Los Angeles, CA, 1999.

  • POETICS, (3-person show) The Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1998.

  • BODIES & VESSELS, (3-PERSON SHOW) VSA Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA, 1998.

  • RESONANCES: VISIONS OF ECHO PARK, El Centro del Pueblo, CA, 1996.

  • INDUSTRIAL/TRIBAL,  Ivy Substation, Culver City, CA, 1996.

  • ABOUT FACE, Los Angeles Municipal Gallery, CA, 1996.

  • MTA Bus Bench, Temporary Installation at Glendale Bl. & Temple Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 1996.

  • DOWNTOWN LIVES!  DaDa Annual, Spring Street Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1996 & 1995.

  • WORDS AND SYMBOLS, Artspace Gallery, Woodland Hills, CA, 1994.

  • CROSSING L.A./LOS ANGELES FESTIVAL, Museum of African-American Art, CA, 1993.

  • CONTEXTUAL TURBULENCE, John Thomas Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 1993.

  • BIENNIAL JURIED EXHIBITION, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, CA, 1993.

  • DIVERGYNCE X 5, Lamb Realty, Studio City, CA, 1992.

  • ISSUES OF CHOICE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibits, CA, 1992.

  • MFA SHOW, Otis College Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1991.

  • ABC, Temporary Mural Installation, MacArthur Park Lake, Los Angeles, CA, 1989.

  • GROUP SHOW, Ivey Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1988.

  • IN HER EYES/IN HER I'S , 2-Person Show, Rebel Gallery, Hollywood, CA, 1986.

  • GROUP SHOWS, Los Angeles Artists Association Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1985-1988.

  • GROUP SHOW, Antigallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1985

  • BASFAP (Brothers and Sisters From Another Planet), Installation for Performance, Los Angeles City College and various sites, Los Angeles, CA, 1986.

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COLLECTIONS
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Public / Institutions:

  • BRYN MAWR REHABILITATION CENTER, Malvern, PA

  • ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER, Elkins Park, PA

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Private:

  • THE DIANA ZLOTNICK COLLECTION, Studio City, CA

  • THE ELLIOTT LEVIN COLLECTION, Philadelphia, PA

  • THE ALAN ROMAIN COLLECTION, Santa Barbara, CA

  • SUSAN KAPLOW & LOIS UTTLEY, New York, NY

  • JESSE & BROOKE HANSEN, Scottsdale, AZ

  • MR. & MRS. ALAN JONE, Malibu, CA

  • MR. & MRS. JEFF FEINSTEIN, Woodstock, NY

  • ROBERT TOBIAS, Santa Monica, CA

  • KERI WALCZAK, Philadelphia, PA

  • JESSE BACON, Philadelphia, PA

  • SUMMER REESE, San Bernardino County, CA

  • F. PATTI MALKIN, Los Angeles, CA

  • MICHELLE GHAFFARI, Los Angeles, CA

  • PRIVATE COLLECTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

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TALKS, LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
 
  • BELIEVING IS SEEING, symposium talk, Art Blind symposium, Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, KHM, Cologne, Germany, May 28, 2013 
  • WORKSHOP, within Prof. Julia Scher's seminar, Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, Cologne, May 28, 2013 
  • GUEST LECTURE, Otis College of Art & Design, Integrated Learning Program, 2012-2015
  • TEACHING ARTIST FELLOWS, VSA Arts Education Conference, Washington, D.C., 2010
  • ARTS AND INCLUSION, Common Ground Arts Education Conference, Albany, NY, 2008
  • ARTS BASED LEARNING, VSA Arts Education Institute, Stevenson, WA, 2006
  • VSA ARTS CONFERENCE FOR AFFILIATES, Washington, D.C., 2006
  • INSIGHTS 2006, Artist's Day, San Francisco, 2006
  • ART OPTIONS, California Arts Council Biennial Conference, Asilomar, CA, 2002
  • LET X = EDUCATION, Art Options seminar series, Los Angeles, 2003-04
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PUBLIC ART & COMMUNITY PROJECTS
 

  • WHAT'S IN A NAME?, Art Options project with Walt Whitman Continuation High School and The Workmen's Circle, 2007

  • WHAT'S IN A NAME?, installation / performance, Van Nuys Performing Arts High School, with Delano Recreation Center workshops, 2006

  • MY NEIGHBORHOOD, ceramic-tile installation on trash receptacles, Sunset Blvd., with students at Logan Elementary School, 2002

  • SIGNS OF LIFE, Art Options interior mural, 1,600 sq. ft., La Casa, Los Angeles, 1999

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CURATORIAL

  • CORE: DEFINING OURSELVES, national Juried group Exhibit, Second City council Gallery, Long Beach, CA, 2007.

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PERFORMANCE
 

  • CABARET REVOLTAIRE: 100 YEARS OF DADA, Gray Pony, Art Share L.A., Los Angeles, December 10, 2016

  • CRAVING VISIONS, Gray Pony Ensemble, Celtic Arts Center, Los Angeles, 2005

  • THE SILLY SHOW, Women Artists Group, WAG, 2002

  • NEW BEGINNINGS, Women Artists Group, WAG, Mostly Spoken series, Galaxa Theatre, Los Angeles, 2000

  • SISTERS, Women Artists Group, WAG, Mostly Spoken series, Eclectic Theatre, North Hollywood, 1999

  • SAVING GRACE, collaborative writing & performance, Women Artists Group, WAG, Eclectic Theatre, 1998

  • THE CHRIS & BARBARA SHOW, Women Artists Group, WAG Playwriting Festival, Eclectic Theatre, 1997

  • WEEGEE PLAY, Women Artists Group, WAG Playwriting Festival, Eclectic Theatre, 1997

  • MOSTLY SPOKEN, Eclectic Theatre Company, 1996

  • THE CHRIS & BARBARA SHOW / HOW TO MAKE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WORK, Women Artists Group, WAG, Mostly Spoken series, 1995

  • ETHNICS ENCOURAGED, Perimeter Arts Collective, Highways & Occidental College, 1995

  • ANTIGONE, Art Options, UCLA, Audrey Skirball-Kenis Theater Festival, & La Casa, 1995

  • MO CHEESE!!, Art Options, Hollywood Moguls, 1995

  • TOO MUCH PINK CAN MAKE YOU CRAZY, Perimeter Arts Collective, World Stage, 1994

  • SEE?, Los Angeles Municipal Gallery, 1994

  • DEPENDENCY, Perimeter Arts Collective, Broad Definitions, Hollywood Moguls, 1994

  • THE CHRIS & BARBARA SHOW / A TALE OF TWO CITIES, Women Artists Group, WAG, Highways, 1993

  • WORDS ARE MY WEAKNESS, Women Artists Group, WAG, Theatre 6470 and LATC, 1993

  • DANCING WITH THE DEAD, Gray Pony Ensemble, Onyx / Sequel, 1993

  • WHOSE MYTH ARE YOUSE WITH?, Watts Towers Art Center Gallery, 1993

  • EXCUSE ME!!, Art Options, LATC, 1993

  • MORE NIGGER LOVERS, created with Mira-Lani Oglesby, WAG Presents for Women's History Month, Los Angeles Theatre Center and Every Picture Tells a Story Gallery, West Hollywood, and a reading and writing workshop at the California Rehabilitation Center for Women, Norco, March 1992

  • MIRACLE PLAY, Oddity Theatre, 1992

  • AKA GINGER SVERLO, Igloo Theater, Hollywood, 1991

  • SALOME, Gray Pony, Igloo Theater, Hollywood, 1991

  • NIGGER LOVERS, a play co-written with Shelley Sachs, directed by Mira-Lani Oglesby, Gray Pony Productions, Igloo Theatre, Hollywood, opened August 23, extended through October 12, 1991 (after Lennon & Ono; in the tradition of Lenny Bruce)

  • FESTIVAL DIONYSIS, Gray Pony, Igloo Theater, Hollywood, 1990

  • LOVE SLAVES, Gray Pony Ensemble, Onyx / Sequel and Highland Grounds, 1989

  • BASFAP, Brothers and Sisters from Another Planet, various Los Angeles sites, 1988-89

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FILM, TELEVISION & DOCUMENTARY
 

  • CAN YOU SEE ME?, documentary about the artist, directed by Linda "LD" Janakos, filmed over approximately 10 years, 2011

  • THE RON REAGAN SHOW, Fox, panel on "Censorship and the Arts" with the cast of Nigger Lovers, aired October 6, 1992

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PAINTINGS APPEARED IN OR CREATED FOR
 

  • SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE, "Rock On", Prom Issue, 2009

  • STARTING OVER, NBC-TV series, Fall 2005-06

  • LIVE AT ROULETTE, painting on the cover of the CD by jazz vocalist Bonnie Barnett, 9 Winds

  • DOES IT SWING?, painting reproduced on the cover of the poetry book by Elliott Levin, Heat Press, 1997

  • FALLING DOWN, mural shot, Warner Brothers Films, 1992

  • THE PLATFORM, painting reproduced for posters & flyers, political cabaret, Los Angeles Theatre Center, 1989

  • THE HIP-HOP WALTZ OF EURYDICE, program art, play by Reza Abdoh, LATC, 1988

  • SARAH'S STORY, set paintings, play by Susan Rubin, LATC, 1991

  • PASOS EN LA OSCURIDAD, program art, play by Reza Abdoh, Park Plaza Hotel, 1989

  • THIRTY SOMETHING, shot of painting in a gallery, ABC-TV, 1988

  • MINIMATA, program art, play by Mira-Lani Oglesby & Reza Abdoh, LATC, 1988

  • ETTA JENKS, painting on the program cover, play by Marlane Meyer, LATC, 1986

  • NORTH AMERICAN IDEOPHONICS JOURNAL

  • LOS ANGELES 1956, THE MAGAZINE

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
 

  • VISUAL ARTIST: BARBARA ROMAIN, Irvin Rivera, A Book Of magazine, 2019 

  • BARBARA ROMAIN, ALEXANDRIA ALLAN, KURT WESTON, Remember: An AIDS Memorial Retrospective, A&U Magazine, 2018

  • THE RESILIANCE OF BARBARA ROMAIN, Bill Mohr, Poetry Loves Poetry, 2014

  • THE POWER OF POSITIVE PAINTING, Scot Kassel, Scene, Braille Institute, Summer, 2007

  • TEACHING ARTIST FELLOWS, The Creative Spirit/VSA in Action, Vol, 11, Issue 3, 2006  

  • MESSAGE SOMETIMES LOST IN MEDIUM IN ALL'S TEXTURE, Judy Birke, The New Haven Register, September 9, 2006  STSUMA GALLERY CELEBRATES VIBRANT SUMMER SOLSTICE, Sophia Louisa Lee, Studio City Sun, page 21, July 14, 2006

  • BARBARA ROMAIN - DEPTH PERCEPTION, Rachael Steele, Newsletter on the Arts, Fall 2003

  • ART ENTHUSIAST USES LOCAL BUSINESS FOR EXHIBITS, Don Wanlass, La Ola/The News (Serving Montebello, Pico& Santa Fe Springs), June 28, 2001

  • A CLASSIC CULMINATION, Leslie Berestein, Los Angeles Times, City Times, May 7, 1995

  • MIXING MEDIA, Nancy Kapitanoff, Los Angeles Times, Valley Edition, p. 6, March 1, 1994

  • DON'T MYTH IT, Erin Aubry, Los Angeles Times, p. 24, March 28, 1993

  • THE EGO & EYE/THE WORLD OF THE ARTS/BARBARA ROMAIN & MARK RUDE, Lisa Priester, Fiz Magazine, Vol. 1, #3, p.90, Sept 1992

  • ON BARBARA ROMAIN'S POOLSHARK, Mira-Lani Oglesby, Newsletter on the Arts, 1989

BIOGRAPHICAL
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